Hi all! I found this group on the all knowing Google and thought that this would be good community for me to join as I am planning on marrying an Irish citizen and hopefully sooner rather than later moving to Ireland. I've already visited a few time and I loved it. The area I stayed in (Galway) was really similar to where I grew up in the US and I am madly in love with my fiancee so it seems like a win win to me.
About us: I'm a 31 year old machinist (with a side of mechanical design and engineering) specializing i. The set up, programming and operation of computer controlled machining centers.
Her: 35 year old mother of 3 and homemaker, with a drop dead gorgeous smile and the best sense of humor I've ever known. Also a dual UK and Irish citizen.
The information I am hoping to finf is related to marriage and immigration. Specifically how getting married (in the US) will affect my status in Ireland, whether or not its a valid marriage under Irish law, and my rights to employment in Ireland. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
As far as marrying in the US goes it seems that since she doesn't plan on staying here that it should be fairly simple, I just hope I'm not misding something. I'd like to go back to Ireland with her immediately afterwards if possible but have come up empty or just haven't looked in the right places yet.
Thanks for reading and I hope to be an active participant here!
Welcome @unsupervisedadult It's good to have you here. Looking forward to hearing more as your move progresses
Marriage in the US works for Irish residency stuff. (I married my Irish spouse in Ireland, but I am pretty sure if it's a legal marriage in whatever jurisdiction it works).
They make a big deal of the stamp 4 residency not being automatic, and you do have to prove that you're married, living together and aren't showing up intending to live off the state.
We're hoping to go back later this year, and I think it will be fine, but I wish I could apply for the residency before we actually pull up stakes and go over...
Hi all!
It sounds like I have a pretty similar situation to what's already been mentioned in this post. @deleteduser I hope that you were able to marry in September, I'd love to hear more about how it worked out for you!
I am American, living in the US, and my fiancé is Irish and living in Dublin. We have been together for four years, visiting each other back and forth every few months. I think our longest stay together was about three months, when he lived with me in Chicago over a summer. We got engaged about a year ago, but our moving plans have been all over the place because of COVID-19. Now, I'm planning to move to Ireland, and we are ready to begin that process ASAP. We've done a lot of research over the past year, but it's so hard to figure things out for sure from the info online, and it would be so great to hear personal experiences from anyone who has done this. We do have a few specific questions:
- As an American, I am usually allowed to enter Ireland for 90 days without a visa. Is this still the case if I am entering with the intention to marry and stay in Ireland? From what I've read, it seems like I would not need to apply for a visa to enter the country, but I am nervous I'm not understanding what I've read online correctly. I'm planning to send the notification for the marriage registration form by post before I go.
- Once I arrive in Ireland and marry my fiancé, will we be able to go to our local registration office to apply for a Stamp 4 permission to reside without my leaving the country? If we can do this, is the Stamp 4 usually issued at that appointment if everything is in order, or would there be a waiting period?
I'm sure I will have many more questions as we begin this process, but if anyone can provide some clarity on these concerns for now, I would be so so grateful. I am trying to be patient with the process, but I am so ready to marry my fiancé and live in the same country! I want to be really sure that we don't do anything along the way to trip up the process or delay our reunion.
Thank you!!
@elliejorgan Hi Ellie, and fiance 🙂
Welcome. Great to have you here.
Yes, as it stands, you don't need a visa to enter, even if you plan to marry. I recommend following Mairead and Steve's posts on this topic that you can find here https://irelandmoveclub.com/community/postid/2117/
I've heard mixed info on how long you need to wait. Officially, I believe it's a number of months. Practically, and in most cases it seems, it's almost immediate. I'm wondering are outside Dublin applicants getting the better deal here????
Of course, if it's not immediate, you know you won't be able to take up employment. There are other implications too, e.g. needed private medical insurance etc.
I'm sure it must be extremely difficult right now. Covid has played havoc on so many parts of our lives. Immigration is definitely hard hit.
Looking forward to hearing more as your move takes shape, and as your big day approaches.
Liam
Wow, thanks so much Liam and Amanda for your responses! (I thought I posted this a couple days ago but apparently did not - oops!)
@moveclubadmin Liam, thank you, I'm very happy to be here and to have found this community.
I appreciate your confirmation about entering without a visa, and your suggestion of Mairead and Steve's posts. I already feel so grateful for what I've been able to find on this site!
My fiancé, Neil, lives in Dublin now but is from Dungarvan, and we've been wondering the same thing about whether it would be better to register outside of Dublin if we can.... if anyone else has any insight into this, I'd love to hear it!
@deleteduser Amanda, I'm so glad to hear everything went well for you and you were able to move and get married! Your response was definitely helpful. It's great to know about the PPS number taking time. Neil and I have also just reached out to the registrar's office and received the postal marriage notification form. I'm a little confused about the order of this process though - it seems like you have to have a PPS number to complete the notification form, but you have to reside in Ireland to get the PPS number, which I thought would have to happen after submitting the notification form? Were you able to send back the marriage notification form without including a PPS number, to get the intended marriage date and interviews and all of that set before actually moving to Ireland?
We were also curious about the letter of freedom to marry. Was that something both you and your husband needed? For me as a US citizen I'm not quite sure what that letter would be or where to obtain it, were you able to get an acceptable letter or affidavit in the US?
@elliejorgan You're so welcome. Happy to help.
Oh, and I think I fixed that emoji issue. Let's see... ? ?
Thanks for letting me know.
Hi,
Do you know if you need to have a PPS number before getting the Stamp 4?
Thanks!
Stacey
@staceyweiler No, not currently. Here are the requirements http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP07000024
Hello all, me again!
I am still working on the process of submitting my notification to marry, and I'm really struggling with understanding exactly what is acceptable for the "letter of freedom to marry," as a US citizen. So far what I understand is that there isn't an official US document for this, but an affidavit stating my legal single status should be acceptable. Is this something I could just write up myself and have notarized? Would I need to have it executed anywhere specific, or by anyone specific, like at a consulate or specific state or county office? I'm really not sure if I am overcomplicating this, but I want to be sure I submit something that is actually acceptable proof of my single status, and I cannot seem to figure out exactly how to do this! If anyone has done this and can share what you used for their letter or how you obtained it, I would be so so grateful! This is the last document I'm having trouble with and I am so ready to just have this all submitted. Thank you!